Building diagonal wire bracing system and method

ABSTRACT

A bracing system for use with associated substantially parallel spaced first and second substantially vertical members of a building which includes a first cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attached to the second associated vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than the first elevation. A second cable is attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at substantially the second elevation and to the second substantially vertical member at substantially the first elevation. The first and second cables are disposed in tension.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The invention has application to methods and apparatus for the construction of new buildings and rehabilitation of existing buildings and has particular application to apparatus and method for bracing vertical structural members. Vertical structural members are in compression and support loads acting on the top part thereof. They are typically referred to as columns, posts, studs or piers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Buildings constructed in accordance with conventional prior art techniques often employ overlapping diagonal boards arrayed in an X-shaped pattern to brace vertical structural members. Often the boards may be 1″×6″ boards and often this technique is employed and is visible in the attics of, for example, the attics of residential buildings.

This conventional bracing is not wholly satisfactory because it is aesthetically distasteful. In addition, this conventional bracing compromises of the effective utilization of the space in which the bracing is employed. For example, renovations of attic areas as well as basement areas is constrained body the aesthetic limitations as well as the space limitations of the prior art technique.

Various structures have been used wires to brace the parts thereof. The known wire bracing systems do not employ the method and apparatus of the present invention.

The prior art includes U.S. Pat. No. 3,632,179 that describes a diagonal cable 64 securing respective modules of furniture. This is similar to the structure that has been used on wooden screen doors. Such structures may sometimes have included a turnbuckle to reinforce the wooden screen door.

U.S. Pat. No. 4,560,147 describes a turnbuckle to which a wire rope or cable 23 in swaged. The specification describes the use of this apparatus with a sailboat mast.

Similarly, U.S. Pat. No. 6,343,445 describes a wire bracing system for a tower structure.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object the present invention to provide an apparatus and method which is inexpensive to manufacture and install as well as easy to install.

Another object the present invention is to provide apparatus and a method which will produce an aesthetically pleasing reinforcement of the vertical structural members of a building.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide apparatus and a method that will maximize the utilization of the space within a building.

It has now been found that these and other objects of the invention may be attained in a bracing system for use with associated substantially parallel spaced first and second substantially vertical members that includes a first cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attached to the second associated vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than the first elevation. The system further includes a second cable that is attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at substantially the second elevation and to the second substantially vertical member at substantially the first elevation. The first and second cables are disposed in tension.

In some cases the bracing system includes a turnbuckle to maintain tension and each of the cables is attached to one of the associated substantially parallel spaced first and second substantially vertical members by means of an eye bolt.

The bracing system may further include a washer disposed on the opposed sides of each associated vertical member and cooperating with each the eye bolts.

Some embodiments of the bracing system function with substantially parallel spaced first and second and third substantially vertical members which include a first cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attached to the second associated vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than the first elevation, a second cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at substantially the second elevation and to the second substantially vertical member at substantially the first elevation, a third cable attached to the associated second substantially vertical member at the first elevation and attached to the third associated vertical member at the second elevation, as well as a fourth cable attached to the associated second substantially vertical member at substantially the second elevation and to the third substantially vertical member at substantially the first elevation, the first, second, third and fourth cables being disposed in tension.

The invention also includes a building which includes first and second substantially parallel spaced substantially vertical members, a bracing system for the first and second substantially vertical members which includes a first cable attached to the first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attached to the second associated vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than the first elevation, a second cable attached to the first substantially vertical member at substantially the second elevation and to the second substantially vertical member at substantially the first elevation, the first and second cables being disposed in tension.

In addition the invention also includes the method for the bracing a building having first and second substantially parallel spaced substantially vertical members which includes providing a first cable, attaching the first cable to the first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attaching the first cable to the second vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than the first elevation; providing a second cable, attaching the second cable to the first substantially vertical member at substantially the second elevation and to the second substantially vertical member at substantially the first elevation, and maintaining the first and second cables in tension.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

The invention will be better understood by reference to the accompanying drawing in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially schematic front view of the bracing systems in accordance with one form of the invention employed on two spaced building columns.

FIG. 2 is a partially schematic front view of the bracing system in accordance with one form of the present invention employed on three spaced building columns.

FIG. 3 is partially schematic detailed view of the portion of the system within the circle A in FIG. 1.

FIG. 4 is a partially schematic detailed view of the portion of the system within the circle B in FIG. 2.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring now to FIGS. 1 and 3 there is shown a first column 12 and a second column 14. Each of the columns 12, 14 is a load bearing support member of an associated building (not shown). Each of the columns 12, 14 is in compression.

One form of the system in accordance with the present invention utilizes first and second diagonal wires 16, 18. The lower extremity of the wire 18 is secured to the column 12 at substantially the same elevation as the wire 16 is secured to the column 14. Similarly, the upper extremity of the wire 16 is secured to the column 12 at substantially the same elevation at which the wire 18 is secured to the column 14.

Preferably, a turnbuckle 22 is disposed at some point along the axial extent of the cable 16 to ensure there is adequate tension in the cable 16. Similarly a turnbuckle 22 is disposed at some point along the axial extent of the cable 18 to ensure there is adequate tension in the cable 18. For simplicity, the respective turnbuckles 22, 22 are usually disposed at an axial extremity of each of the respective cables.

Preferably, the lower connections to the columns (as exemplified in FIG. 3) is achieved by a cable swaged to the turnbuckle 22 cooperating with an eye bolt 40 that extends through the column 12. First and second washers 30, 30 disposed on opposed sides of the column 12 locate the eye bolt 40 with respect to the column 12. A nut 34 completes the mounting. Preferably, the upper respective connections to the columns 12, 14 is achieved in a similar manner with eye bolts 40, washers 30, 30 and a nut 46. Similarly, the lower extremity of the cable 16 includes a turnbuckle 22 that is coupled to an eye bolt 31 that is secured by washers 33, 33 and a nut 35.

In this form of the invention, the cables 16, 18 intersect with included angle at the top of approximately 130° and included angle at the sides of approximately 50°.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 4 is a partially schematic front view of the bracing system in accordance with one form of the present invention employed on three spaced building columns 112, 114 and 150. Cables 116, 118 brace the columns 112, 114 in substantially the same manner and with substantially the same connections as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3. Similarly, cables 117, 119 brace the columns 114, 150.

A primary difference, in this embodiment, is that the eye bolts 140 differ from the eye bolts 40 in that each has “eyes” at both axial extremities thereof. Each of the eyebolts 140 includes a threaded sleeve 137 that engages the respective axial extremities of the eye bolts 131 to facilitate assembly into the column 114. The eyebolts 131 will be understood to be similar to the eyebolts 140 with the exception that they have a smaller axial extent. The other aspects of the construction of the second embodiment will be understood from the description of the first embodiment. The connections to the column 150 are substantially mirror images of the connections to the column 112. In the embodiment illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 4 the wires 116, 118 intersect at an angle of approximately 90°.

It will thus be seen that the present invention provides an aesthetically pleasing structure that will enable better utilization of the space adjacent to the bracing and which may be easily and inexpensively installed. The specific cables used will vary with the application. In a typical cottage UC5A 2.50 2″×12″ pressure treated cross supports are replaced with wire cables having 6×25 filler wire with IWRC (IPS) diameter ½″, weight per foot 0.46 lbs, and tensile strength of 10.3 tons.

Although the description above contains many specifics, these should not be construed as limiting the scope of the invention, but as merely providing illustrations of some of the presently preferred embodiments of this invention. Thus, the scope of this invention should be determined by the appended claims and their legal equivalents. Therefore, it will be appreciated that the scope of the present invention fully encompasses other embodiments which may become obvious to those skilled in the art, and that the scope of the present invention is accordingly to be limited by the appended claims, in which reference to an element in the singular is not intended to mean “one and only one” unless explicitly so stated, but rather “one or more.” All structural, chemical, and functional equivalents to the elements of the above-described preferred embodiment that are known to those of ordinary skill in the art are expressly incorporated herein by reference and are intended to be encompassed by the present claims. Moreover, it is not necessary for a device or method to address each and every problem sought to be solved by the present invention, for it to be encompassed by the present claims. Furthermore, no element, component, or method step in the present disclosure is intended to be dedicated to the public regardless of whether the element, component, or method step is explicitly recited in the claims. No claim element herein is to be construed under the provisions of 35 U.S.C. 112, sixth paragraph, unless the element is expressly recited using the phrase “means for.” 

1. A bracing system for use with associated substantially parallel spaced first and second substantially vertical members of a building which comprises: a first cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attached to the second associated vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than said first elevation; a second cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at substantially said second elevation and to said second substantially vertical member at substantially said first elevation, said first and second cables being disposed in tension.
 2. A bracing system as described in claim 1 wherein each of said cables includes a turnbuckle to maintain tension.
 3. A bracing system as described in claim 2 wherein the axial extremities of each of said cables is attached to one of the associated substantially parallel spaced first and second substantially vertical members by means of an eye bolt.
 4. A bracing system as described in claim 3 further including a washer disposed on the opposed sides of each associated vertical member and cooperating with each said eye bolts.
 5. A bracing system for use with associated substantially parallel spaced first and second and third substantially vertical members which comprises: a first cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attached to the second associated vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than said first elevation; a second cable attached to the associated first substantially vertical member at substantially said second elevation and to said second substantially vertical member at substantially said first elevation; a third cable attached to the associated second substantially vertical member at said first elevation and attached to the third associated vertical member at said second elevation; a fourth cable attached to the associated second substantially vertical member at substantially said second elevation and to said third substantially vertical member at substantially said first elevation, said first, second, third and fourth cables being disposed in tension.
 6. A bracing system as described in claim 1 wherein each of said cables includes a turnbuckle to maintain tension.
 7. A bracing system as described in claim 2 wherein the axial extremities of each of said cables is attached to one of the associated substantially parallel spaced first and second substantially vertical members by means of an eye bolt.
 8. A bracing system as described in claim 3 further including a washer disposed on the opposed sides of each associated vertical member and cooperating with each said eye bolts.
 9. A building which comprises: first and second substantially parallel spaced substantially vertical members; a bracing system for the first and second substantially vertical members which includes a first cable attached to said first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attached to said second associated vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than said first elevation; a second cable attached to said first substantially vertical member at substantially said second elevation and to said second substantially vertical member at substantially said first elevation, said first and second cables being disposed in tension.
 10. A method for the bracing a building having first and second substantially parallel spaced substantially vertical members which comprises: providing a first cable, attaching the first cable to the first substantially vertical member at a first elevation and attaching the first cable to the second vertical member at a second elevation that is higher than said first elevation; providing a second cable, attaching the second cable to the first substantially vertical member at substantially the second elevation and to said second substantially vertical member at substantially the first elevation, and maintaining the first and second cables in tension. 